You probably know that some foods are more powerful than others when it comes to helping strengthen our immunity. In this article I’d like to share some foods that might be helpful in fighting any diseases. My recommendations here are only intended for the purposes of preventing the disease, although in many cases they can help with handling an existing condition as well.
Unfortunately, especially in US, so many people are metabolically unhealthy. This means that they are using some type of drug on a daily basis, and are overweight, pre-diabetic, or type 2 diabetic. The really sad part is that this now is becoming normal. Of course, this can greatly increase the individual’s risk factor for getting any type of disease.
There are, however, so many things that we can control in our health. Why not start to improve our diet first? Here are some of the my favorite foods that might help improve immunity.
Zinc is an essential mineral and plays a huge role in improving our immune system. My favorite zinc-rich foods include ground beef, beef liver, chicken, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, dark chocolate, brazil nuts and chick peas. Did you know that if you have a zinc deficiency that might trigger a loss of sense of taste and smell?
Vitamin C is a well researched vitamin with a strong effect on strengthening the immune system. Adding foods that are rich in vitamin C to your diet can be beneficial for your overall health. In addition, vitamin C enhances the absorption or iron from our food or even from iron supplements. Good sources of vitamin C include kiwi, oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, red bell peppers, broccoli, apples, spinach and Brussels sprouts.
Vitamin D plays a huge role in strengthening the immune system and acts like a hormone. The best way to get vitamin D is from the sunlight, however many of us spend much of our lives indoors. In addition, in many parts of the of the world the sun’s rays are not strong enough with the UV light for a large part of the year, so even if you go out in the sunshine you may not be getting much vitamin D. There are ways other than sunlight of getting vitamin D, and my favorite vitamin D rich foods are sardines, mackerel, pink salmon, and egg yolks.
Magnesium can be found in many foods, however so many people are still deficient. Magnesium is a very important mineral for many functions in the body, such as bone health and mental health, and it also supports our immunity as well. This essential mineral can be found in avocados, Brazil nuts, banana, edamame, almonds, spinach, Swiss chard, kidney beans, carrots, chia seeds, cashews, and yogurt.
Himalayan tartar buckwheat is a superfood that actually ironically does not contain any wheat. It is a fruit seed, and a resistant starch which means that the body digests it slowly and it has a low glycemic index. It has three forms and is very high in phytochemicals so it can improve our immunity, reduce inflammation, improve energy, and improve sleep. It can also be effective in improving cognitive function, reducing hypertension, and treating diabetes. You can find it in tea and flour form. It is becoming more readily available, for example the company Big Bold Health sells it and also has very good resources on its benefits.
Of all of these options my personal favorites that I consume regularly include beef liver, eggs, sweet potatoes, ginger, carrots, cucumber, almonds, pomelo, macadamia nuts, dark chocolate, ancient grain sourdough bread (homemade), lean beef, and freshly made veggie juice.
This is very much a simplified overview for the vitamins that I have mentioned here, and of course please remember that there are no individual drugs, vitamins or pharmaceuticals that can improve your lifestyle.
But if you are not eating a nutrient dense diet that includes some of the foods in each group then you may need to consider supplementation for positive effects.
Or you might like to start to make small changes and add a few of those nutrient dense foods into your diet, or even create your own meal plan that incorporates some of the foods.
I am sure that you will find some that you enjoy!
References:
• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/
• https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/zinc
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27178656/
• https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-C
• https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-D
• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
• https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/magnesium
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26948610/
• https://bigboldhealth.com/
•••
Ayda Ersoy, Nutritionist (Dip.C.N., Dip.S.N.), Master Trainer (CPT ACE, NCSF, CanfitPro), Registered Yoga Teacher, Founder, Health Angel Nutrition, Fitness and Wellness, Founder, SMS (Stability, Mobility Strength) Intuitive Training System.
